Juliana Haygert

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Categories: #ROW80, My writing, Reading

First ROW80 update of the year!

 

Hello everyone!

Here we are, for one more round of ROW80.

Let’s see how I’m doing, shall we?

 

My goals for round 01 of 2012:

  1. Participate of the EditPalooza workshop offered by Savvy Authors from Jan/2 to Feb/4. (I’ve been warned this is super hard work and consumes many hours of the day. Let’s see if I can keep up!)
  2. Write a novelette (10-15,000 words), revise it and sub it (due Feb 1st).
  3. Write a novella (20-40,000 words), revise it and sub it (due April 1st).
  4. Write a novel (or get as far as I can with it). Actually I’m thinking about re-writing some of my old novels, the ones I wrote when I just started down this path. The stories are good, but the writing isn’t lol I keep saying I need to re-write them, so this might be the time to choose one and get it over with.
  5. Read 2 book every 3 weeks.
  6. Social network: tweet, comment on blogs, and blog at least once a week (not counting #ROW80 checkins).

Not necessarily in this order.

 

Social Network:

All done.

 

Reading:

Finally read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins—just the first one for now. Loved it!

I’m reading Revision and Self-Editing by James Scott Bell—this one is the book used on the workshop I’m taking, so I’ll read it slowly, as the chapters are being asked by the editor on the workshop.

I just began Divergent by Veronica Roth. This book won several awards last year. I’m curious!

 

EditPalooza:

It’s going well. The really hard work didn’t start yet. For now, we had to re-read our manuscripts as a reader, then answer some questions about it. Now we’re working on our main characters.

 

Writing:

Not much on this front since I’m taking the EditPalooza course.

But I’ve been brainstorming solutions and conflicts for old manuscripts that I want to re-write after the course and I’m taking note of everything.

 

How are my fellow writers?

Hope the first week has treat you well!

Cheers,

 

PS: I’ll be stopping by my fellow ROWers’ blog tonight!

Categories: #ROW80, Blogging, Me, My writing

It has begun!

 

#ROW80 round 01 of 2012 starts today! (I’m on the road back home at the moment. To me, the round will start tomorrow).

Are you ready?

This is the second round I’m participating. Last round was a success and I hope to repeat the same outcome ;)

 

My goals for round 01 of 2012:

  1. Participate of the EditPalooza workshop offered by Savvy Authors from Jan/2 to Feb/4. (I’ve been warned this is super hard work and consumes many hours of the day. Let’s see if I can keep up!)
  2. Write a novelette (10-15,000 words), revise it and sub it (due Feb 1st).
  3. Write a novella (20-40,000 words), revise it and sub it (due April 1st).
  4. Write a novel (or get as far as I can with it). Actually I’m thinking about re-writing some of my old novels, the ones I wrote when I just started down this path. The stories are good, but the writing isn’t lol I keep saying I need to re-write them, so this might be the time to choose one and get it over with.
  5. Read 1 book per week.
  6. Social network: tweet, read and comment on blogs, and blog at least once a week (not counting #ROW80 checkins).

Not necessarily in this order.

Check-in posts are due Wednesday and Sundays, but I’ll probably only check-in on Sundays for the whole week.

My check-ins will be posted on my blog, under the #ROW80 category, which makes it easy to find them.

 

Did you like it? Want to sign up too? Click here to do so!

To see all participants of Round 01 of 2012, click here.

Good luck to us! Let’s have fun!

 

Note: this post will be the #ROW80 page, so my goals are easily found.

Categories: #ROW80, Blogging, My writing

Last #ROW80 Checkin of the year!

The last check-in of this round. It officially ends tomorrow, but since tomorrow I’ll be on roadtrip, I’m posting it now.

Omg, that went by so fast! I had fun, did you?

 

Here are my goals (for the whole round):

  1. Write at least 2k words from Mon to Fri, when I’m not editing (Sat and Sun are reserved for family!)
  2. Finish the MS I’m writing (for now, I call it Attitude) (*)
  3. Edit Attitude (*)
  4. Outline a novel for NaNoWriMo (*)
  5. Participate on NaNoWriMo (*)
  6. Revise my NaNo novel (G.H.) (*)
  7. Read 1 book per week
  8. Blog at least once per week (besides the #ROW80 check-ins)
  9. Comment on #ROW80 friends’ blogs

 

This last week:

Blogging

All done.

 

Reading

I’m reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. Hopefully I’ll finish it tomorrow during the roadtrip to my parents ;)

 

Writing

Monday: Had to run a few errands and also had my pilates class, so only wrote 2133 words (I wanted to write 5k …).

Tuesday: 6779 words.

Wednesday: 1500 words and finished the novella. At night, I should send it to two beta-readers.

 

Conclusion

I’ve got loads done: I wrote two novellas and a novel (and about 20k words of another) during these 80 days.

More important, I had a great time and met great writers who also have a life and a family to take care of and have to juggle all they want/need to do.

The challenge, the check-ins, and the support of the other members kept me on track, even when I was down or thinking about tossing all away lol

Since the goals can be anything and many things, I recommend ROW80 to any writer in need of friends and encouragement and support—if you’re willing to give support too.

I’ll definitively be back for round 01 of 2012! (the post with my goals is already written lol)

 

Cheers,

Categories: #ROW80, Me, My writing, Reading

#ROW80 Checkin 12-18

A #ROW80 check-in on my birthday? Bah! LOL

Ye, it’s my birthday, but let’s do this seriously, shall we?

 

Hello friends =)

Only four more days for the end of round 4 … omg,  I can’t believe it … it went by so fast!

 

Here are my goals (complete list here):

  1. Revise my NaNo novel (G.H.)
  2. Read 1 book per week
  3. Blog at least once per week (besides the #ROW80 check-ins)
  4. Comment on #ROW80 friends’ blogs

 

Blogging

All done.

 

Reading

I’ve been slow this week, since I put emphasizes on writing and Christmas shopping lol

Read The Last Awakening by Rachel Firasek.

Started Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

 

Writing

On Monday I worked on a scene that was bothering me and officially finished the first-round of revisions for G.H. It’s already with one of my beta-readers. This coming week, I should hand it to another beta-reader. I’ll also talk to my CPs and see when they can take a look at it ;)

On Tuesday, I started a novella. Just because. Of course, it’s New Adult. As many of you advised, I have to follow my gut, and my gut tells me this is my niche. Wrote 3,669 words.

On Wednesday, I wrote 2,604 words. Not as much as I wanted, but good enough.

On Thursday, I wrote 1,000 words in the morning. Then more 1,300 at night. Got distract by many things (a few very important though) during the afternoon.

On Friday, I wrote 4034 words. And I went Christmas shopping (finally), though I didn’t buy everything yet.

On Saturday, 1539 words. Note that I usually don’t write on Saturdays.

UPDATE: Wrote another 1000 words on Sunday and I also usually don’t write on Sundays ;)

So this novella is something new, that is not on my original goals, but, if all goes well, I should be done with it before the end of round 04.

 

How are you guys doing? We are getting to the end … are you guys ready?

Who will come back for next round? *raises hand*

To check on the other members’ progress, go here.

Cheers,

Categories: #ROW80, Blogging, My writing, Reading

#ROW80 Checkin 12/11

Hello guys =)

How are you? Having a good weekend? I hope so!

Yesterday was the end-of-the-year presentation of my daughter’s school (she is in pre-K). She danced and it was so beautiful! Proud mama here lol

Anyway, time to check-in again (already!).

 

Remembering my goals:

  1. Revise my NaNo novel (G.H.)
  2. Read 1 book per week
  3. Blog at least once per week (besides the #ROW80 check-in)
  4. Comment on #ROW80 friends’ blogs

 

Blogging

Blogged, commented, tweeted ;)

 

Reading

If you look at the right, I have a Goodreads Reading Challenge. Before, it was 52 books in 2011 (one per week), but I’m increasing it as I’m going since I already overcame that goal. I’m planning on reaching 60 books. Let’s see.

I’ve read Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

I’ve read Writing Great Books for Young Adult by Regina Brooks (literary agent). This book has been on my shelf for a few months. Since I’m having a debate about writing Young Adult or New Adult, I picked up and read it.

Atm, I’m reading The Last Awakening by Rachel Firasek.

 

Writing

I’ve re-read and revised my manuscript, but I confess it was too slow for my taste. I finished it Thursday, but it could have been earlier if I hadn’t #procrastinated a lot. I still need to tweak on one scene that I have trouble with. I had an epiphany last night about how to fix it, so I should do that tomorrow morning. Then, I’ll send it to my beta-reader.

Monday I was so not in the mood to revise, I started brainstorming new ideas (and some old ones too), then read a little.

Thursday, I spent most of the day out and about with friends (we have some friends from the US visiting this week, so we’ve been taking them out a lot).

And Friday was worse. I haven’t watched any Vampire Diaries episodes yet this season, so I watched them all on Friday … and now I feel bad about it.

To complete the #procrastination mode on my work, I critiqued 3 synopsis and 2 queries from friends this week, which kept me away from my own work. But that’s okay, that’s how critiquing partnership works ;)

However, I’m trying to force my writing out and it’s not happening. Every time I sit before the computer and get ready to type my mind starts playing tricks on me. Am I doing the right thing? Should I care about the age of the protagonist? Should I be stubborn and stick with NA? Should I try and change to YA? What if my voice is not good for YA? That same rant you heard before … The problem now is that it’s upsetting me to a point in which I’m just not being able to write. And man, I love to write! Each damn word I type, I stop and think “is it a waste?” … Especially now that I just “finished” G.H. and want to begin writing something else.

Anyway, I don’t want to start ranting AGAIN =P

 

How is everyone doing?

To check on other ROW80 members, you can hop on the linky list.

Cheers,

Categories: #ROW80, Blogging, My writing

#ROW80 Checkin 12/04

 

Omigosh, guys, it’s December already! Jeez, this year is sure flying by …

Note: this post was written Friday night and scheduled to go live on Sunday morning (so no news from Sat and Sun). Though on Sat I’ll go to my cousin’s wedding. I’m her wedding godmother (wedding tradition in Brazil is quite different than in the US). 

 

Reminder of my goals:

  1. Revise my NaNo novel (G.H.)
  2. Read 1 book per week
  3. Blog at least once per week (besides the #ROW80 check-ins)
  4. Comment on #ROW80 friends’ blogs

Oh, and I think I’ll add exercise again to my goals since I started Pilates this past week (Monday and Wednesday)!

 

Blogging

All done.

 

Reading

Finished How To Write a Damn Good Novel by James N. Frey last Saturday.

Read Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler.

I’m reading Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

 

Writing

My daughter has stayed with me most of the morning, so that takes a couple of my writing hours, but it’s for a good cause =)

As you may remember, I finished NaNo last week (and November is GONE!).

Monday: about 2,500 words.

Tuesday: another 2,500 words. And I finished my ms (G.H.)

Here is how my revision usually goes: First, I re-read my manuscript and add to scenes, or add whole scenes, see if the story flows and such and fix major issues that are jumping from the page. Then, I give it to my beta-readers and wait for answers (what is not working, what is really good, awkward sentences, etc). Next, I re-read it, using my beta-readers’ notes and paying attention to my prose … I try to line-edit the manuscript, though I’m not an expert on it, and fix major grammar stuff … Usually, when I think the ms is strong enough, I send it to a professional copy-editor (with whom I worked before and trust). And the last step is getting ready for querying.

So, my next step is to re-read G.H. for the first time ;)

Wednesday: took a break (more like procrastination, actually). Feeling very bad about it (though I played with my daughter, read a lot and went to my pilates class!).

Thursday: I’ve began re-reading and fixing it. The manuscript has 43 scenes and I stopped on scene 19.

Friday: Procrastination all over. I woke up feeling like a cold was coming down on me and spent my day reading …

 

I’m feeling kinda bleh … or blue. I don’t know if it’s the cold plus the ending of another project, but I know that maybe it’s associated with my heroines. You see, I write protagonists aged 19-21, the so called New Adult, and most agents shun away from that … I queried one of my manuscripts about 2 weeks ago. I’ve received a few rejections already and some of them advised I made a choice between Young Adult (14-18) or Adult (adult to me it’s not about the age of the protagonists. It’s about the hotness in the sex scenes. Don’t get me wrong. I love reading JR Ward and such, but I just don’t feel okay writing like that). Anyway. They tell me that I should put my college-aged heroines in high school. And that saddens me. For many reasons. First, I want a character a little more mature than high schoolers. Second, I would have to re-write each one of my manuscripts just because of age? And I would have to change a lot of the story (of each manuscript) because high-school kids has less freedom than college students. So, as G.H. is getting ready to be sent to beta-readers, I’ve been thinking of my next manuscript and my heroine’s age. All my stories and ideas are molded to fit college life. Should I try and change my ideas to high school? Should I try digging into YA for the next project so I’ll have a bigger chance with agents? I think I should, but I don’t know if I want to, and that is making me feel bleh lol

I’ve been writing a blog post about New Adult for a few weeks now. Each day I add some thought to it. I don’t know if I’ll ever hit publish …

Anyway. I’m sorry for my rant/rambling.

 

To check other #row80 members’ progress, you can visit the blog and click on today’s check-in post. There you’ll find a linky list with all the participants.

Have a great week, everyone!

Categories: #ROW80, Blogging, My writing, NaNoWriMo

#ROW80 Checkin 11/27

 

Hello everyone!

Here we go for another check-in (already?).

Note: this post was written Friday night and scheduled to go live on Sunday morning (so no news from Sat and Sun). 

 

Reminder of my goals:

  1. Participate on NaNoWriMo
  2. Revise my NaNo novel (G.H.)
  3. Read 1 book per week
  4. Blog at least once per week (besides the #ROW80 check-ins)
  5. Comment on #ROW80 friends’ blogs

 

Blogging

All done.

 

Reading

Finished THE DUFF by Kody Keplinger.

Finished RULES OF ATTRACTION by Simone Elkeles.

Reading HOW TO WRITE A DAMN GOOD NOVEL by James N. Frey. Hopefully, I’ll have finished it by Sunday.

 

Writing

Honestly, I lost count of how many words I wrote each day this week. However, I went from 39k words (last Friday) on my NaNo novel to 50k (on Thursday). And added about 3,400 words on Friday.

I just wrote the final battle. I tend to rush through it because I’m so caught up (battles are exhausting! lol). I have to learn to relax and think it through, think about all surrounding the battle, all emotions, etc.

Then, I just need to write the three final scenes to settle everything and I’ll be done with it. So it should be more 8k-12k words to finish this manuscript.

 

How are you, my friends? How was everyone’s Thanksgiving?

To check other #row80 members’ progress, you can visit the blog and click on today’s check-in post. There you’ll find a linky list with all the participants.

 

Cheers,